Given Back
by SomethingI'veForgotten
Summary: Just a stab at what may happen. Spoilers for much of the recent episodes 60's or so as well as for 31, so...it may be a bit confusing. I totally suck at summaries. Oneshot.


A/N: Well, my first story...uh...maybe I'll post it at other places coughcoughljcomscoughcough when I feel that it's actually worthy. Please, do not hold back on your comments on this - all criticism welcomed. Flames too. Beware - extreme fluff, a pinch of angst somewhere, and OOC so horrible it could be considered painful. Lovely Yuuram shounen ai, and spoilers for episode 31 and 68/69...can't remember which, and a great load of taking advantage of many people's theories on what's going to happen. As we all know, this is just a stab at one of the many possibilities.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything written here, as sad as I am to admit.throws a mini tantrum

Wolfram snarled, baring his teeth in animalistic fury. Yuuri found that the angered look on his betrothed had its charm, even when his blank eyes sought nothing more than his death.

And it was the strangest thing. Yuuri had heard that in times of great peril, when the adrenaline kicked in and wove itself into the blood stream, sometimes, the mind wonders and fascinates at the oddest thing. He found that in his case, his mind was skipping backwards in time. He found that he was remembering a time that was the absolute contrast of the situation now - back when Wolfram had saved him from the ravine. He remembered bright shining light, the thick smell of dirt filling his lungs. He recalled the sensation of flying through the air, a feeling of thrill and fear. And then the unexpected warmth of a hand around his - firm and strong, determined to never let go. And as he hung over the side, looking into the prince's face and seeing none of that haughtiness, none of the contempt, the jealousy... He seemed to remember a distinct smile.

_"I'll fall with you."_

He said it just like that, didn't he? No hesitation, no doubt. No second thoughts. Then his mind seemed to wander further on the subject. What had Wolfram been feeling, despite those words? Had he been afraid? Was he scared at all that he'd have to take a leap into an abyss after a boy he wasn't even sure thought of him as anything more than a friend? Or had he been afraid that if he made one mistake before even grabbing his hand, if he had missed... If he had been left on the edge to watch as his king fell into the Earth without him? Had he eliminated that chance at all from his mind, did he take into consideration his failure? Or was he so confident he'd catch him before he fell? Or did he have these thoughts, but shoved them away, just in case of the possibility, the slim chance that if he didn't, he'd have it happen...a sort of Murphy's Law...

Should he do that too? What if he failed, what if Wolfram killed him? Or worse, what if _he _had to kill _Wolfram?_

If Yuuri hadn't been concentrating so hard on the fight, on the flashes of light that was his opponent's sword, he would've shaken the thought away. He couldn't fail. He owed this blonde - his blonde - at least his own soul. He had to rescue that. He had to rescue Shin Makoku. He had to save Wolfram. He needed Wolfram to see the world he wanted to create, a world of peace where humans and Mazoku would stand side by side, just like on Earth. Where they were barely aware of their vast differences, coexisted as siblings should. So that he could take the boy by the hand, point at the united world, and boast to him, _'See Wolf? Didn't I tell you? I wouldn't wage war, but I'd make them all see they can live together.'_

After all, this fantasy world included everyone he had met. Conrad. Gwendel. Gunter. Greta. Wolfram. The world was for them, and he wanted them all there to see.

His mind seemed at war with itself now, slinging and hurling words at each other. Why was he rethinking not killing Wolfram? Why was his mind even considering the possibility?

_I have to save him._

_He'll kill you._

_He's my friend._

_He loves you as something more. The guilt, Yuuri, the guilt._

_You could learn._

_He's so jealous._

_He's got his moments. After all..._

_You're not strong enough._

_You're the damn Maou!_

_I don't know if I can..._

_He doesn't know if he can either._

_So selfish..._

_Willing to die for me..._

_Can you do it, Shibuya Yuuri?_

"_I'll fall with you."_

And after that, everything seemed to fade into white noise. Almost. A voice resonated in his head, the words thrumming in his ear, repeating over, and over, and over. The words:

_I'll._

_Fall._

_With._

_You._

And just like at the ravine, Yuuri knew he had to stake it all. Everything depended on him; he had to seize Wolfram's hand at the right chance. He needed to catch the blonde before he fell into that pit, or else...

Then things seemed to turn into molasses. Golden, slow, and sweet despite the steel that sliced his shoulder. He'd probably need stitches for that slash, but that wasn't important. Yuuri's mind hardly even processed the pain as he took the opportunity he had been stalling for. He dropped his sword, and the smirk that suddenly showed on the possessed body of his fiancée almost made him think Wolfram was back. But it was too malicious, there was no secret affection hidden deep in the corners of those lips. So he took the chance. He grabbed the wrist holding the sword - blade still in his flesh - and pulled the body to him. He must have seemed more determined than he had been before, because this seemed to surprise whatever had taken hold of Wolfram. He tried to struggle away, to continue to abuse the body it inhabited. Yuuri would not let go.

Instead, he held him closer, wrapping his arms tightly around the shoulders and torso of his fiancée. Wolfram still smelled like Wolfram - that lingering scent of something faintly fruity that used to always be left on his pillows when the blonde snuck in his bedroom to sleep. That surprised him, for some reason. He expected Wolfram to smell of something foul, something evil, just something...different. After all, this wasn't the proud and feisty Mazoku prince. This was some hell-bent fiend trying to kill him.

Whatever happened to the sword in his shoulder was never really revealed to him. He remembered the blonde trapped within his arms pushing and growling, snapping with his teeth like a wild animal. He also remembered pressing harder into the body, tightening his arms, and willing Wolfram to come back. It was not a plea; it was more of a demand. He ordered that it release its hold on the boy, and that his soul be returned to see the land they were going to create. And just like that, the familiar sensation of coolness began to uncoil from his stomach, slowly enveloping his whole form. He knew that the blue aura must've also been seeping into the prince, because he gasped and shrieked in what could've been pain, then fought harder to free himself. Yuuri could be just as stubborn and unrelenting as Wolfram when he wanted to be.

He could feel the power growing stronger, taking over to eliminating the threat, to purify Wolfram's body. He was purging the boy of his sins, purging them both in a way. Soushu fought - it was a very hard battle. It was harder than fighting with their swords anyway. He could feel the resistance; it was like pushing against a pulsating wall. But he couldn't fail Wolfram now. Not after everything the blonde had fought for, all the times he'd saved him...

Then there was a final scream, and Yuuri felt the wall crumbled and squish like a rotten fruit under his palm. It repulsed Yuuri at first, the sensation of purging Wolf of soushu, but that was probably because the mental image he had associated it with at the time made him expect to see black and red goo - all sticky and chunky like rotted blood - sticking to his hands when this was all over.

All over.

He was tired - but he couldn't collapse just yet. Not without seeing Wolfram - making sure he was fine. Making sure he had indeed succeeded. But at the moment, he couldn't be sure. The blonde's head was bowed, allowing Yuuri nothing more than a long glimpse of tangled golden hair, emitting a soft, gentle smell, and quiet panting.

"Wolfram?"

There was no immediate response. The maou held his breath...had he failed? But then the head lifted slowly, and Yuuri peered carefully into the green eyes that were staring up at him as if just waking from a long dream. The emeralds were clear, were bright, and were...Wolfram's. And Yuuri had never felt any more relieved than he had at that point in his life. He'd caught, he'd struggled to regain, and he'd won.

"Yuuri..." Wolfram blinked slowly, and Yuuri knew he must've been smiling a goofy smile by that time. He didn't care his arms were still around the blonde boy, nor was he aware that Conrad, Gwendel, and Gunter were within eyesight...maybe even earshot if someone shouted. Perhaps Conrad did shout, but he was just too relieved to see Wolfram be _Wolfram _again to really care about any of that. Wolfram glanced around him as if he'd no idea how he got to Ulrike's temple – to the tomb that held the four boxes, then gasped when he looked back at Yuuri.

"Your shoulder...!"

Yuuri was vaguely aware of the wet warm spot growing where he was wounded. He was even a slight bit surprised to realize it didn't quite hurt as much as it should at the moment. Perhaps he was going into shock.

"I'll heal."

Wolfram scowled, and the maou actually laughed in such a grave situation. Laughed, because he never knew he'd miss that look. Wolfram's frown deepened, and he wanted to joke with the boy, tell him that if he did that any more he'd turn into Gwendel when Wolfram's yelling stopped him.

"Why did you do that, you moronic wimp? What do you think you were doing? Yuuri - I could've _killed _you! Don't you realize that? Yuuri, you're supposed to kill me not--"

He really should've stopped smiling at that point. It was tiring to keep that face on, but it was so rewarding to see Wolfram be so Wolfram that he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. Instead, he tilted his head forward so that it fell on the blonde's shoulder, eliciting another gasp. And then, in a tiny, fatigued but overly glad voice that all was used to especially after a great feat, Yuuri said a few choice words that stole Wolfram's breath.

"I'll fall with you too, Wolfram."


End file.
